Bar bell



w. v. DANTOLAN BAR BELL Filed Dec. 3a, 1946 Oct. 31, 1950 Patented Oct. 31, 1950 1 T UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

V I 3 2,528,213 A y BAR BELL v Wilfred V. Dantolan, Chicagm'Ill. V Application December 31, 1946, Serial No. 719,487

riMy; invention relates to an exercising device principally to the development of the muscles:

controlling flexion and extension. My device has .for its principal object the provision of an ex,-

' .ercising device for developing not only the mus- ,cles,,;active in flexion and extension, but vthose used in rotation.

Another object of-my invention is the provisionfof adevice of the class described which is particularlyeffectivein improving the tone of the abdominal muscles.

Still another-object is to provide a device as aforesaid which is instantaneously convertible from a device for exercising the muscles of fiexion vand extension to one more adapted to the im provement of the muscles of rotation. I f

Other objects will appear in the following description.

In its principal embodiment the invention comprises an elongated supporting member carrying a'weight adapted to be locked to, or made slidable upon, the member., At each end the support is provided with buffers for absorbing to a substantial extent the shock imparted to the device as the weight isoscillated upon the bar. Handles are;.pr,ovided,for gripping the supporting member.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side-elevational view in partial section of the principal form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 1, but of an alternative form of the device; and

Fig. 4 illustrates the device is use.

Referring first to Figs. 1 and 2, the device comprises an elongated tubular member 1 of sufiicient strength for the intended purpose, but hollow for lightness, and provided at each end with handles 2 of rubber or other resilient material.

@ Adapted to slide longitudinally of the member vice is usable with the weight 3 fixed or slid- 2 Claims. (o1, 272-84) a 2 able, there is provided a locking screw-5 inserted through a .counterbored hole 6 and threadedly engageable with anzaperture I in thewall of the member I whereby, when desired, the weight 3 may be locked against sliding. It willbe obvious .thatithe screw 5 may be providedwith a shoulderor washer for insuring againstloss .of the screw when the sameis withdrawn .from the aperture 1, and as is well known.

When the weight 3 is in sliding oscillating'relation with the member I, it exhibits. considerable .momentum. To reduce undesirable blows against the users hands from thissource there. is provided a pair of buffer springs Ill dished in form and including. a plurality of T-shaped lobes -Il constituting independent resilient fingers. Thus when the weight 6 reaches a spring lllateither end ofits path, the lobes ll yield to absorb the momentum to a substantial degree. Toincrease the resiliency of the lobes ll, there may be provided apertures [2 which reduce the cross section of. the metal at the basev of the lobes. -To

affix the springs .10 to the member 1, they may J5 to overlie a portion of the springs Ill.

In .use the. device is grasped inthe palm of the hands as in Fig. 4, and assuming that exercises utilizing the sliding of the weight 3 are desired, the device may be lifted overhead, meanwhile permitting the left arm to flex to cause the weight 3 to slide to the left. By reason of its momentum, the weight will tend to throw the user oif equilibrium, and to counteract such effect the trunk and arms are brought into play, thereby exercising those sets of muscles taking part in such effort. The device may now be brought down and the weight 3 caused to move to the right with like physical effort and results.

One preferred manner of use would be to begin the exercise with the device as shown in full lines in Fig. 4 and then, while raising the arms to the dotted line position, continuously cause the weight to oscillate. Whether the device is maintained with the arms at one level or is moved from one level to the other as just outlined, the muscles of the arms, during continued oscillation of the weight 3 are given what may be termed a massaging treatment. That is to say, the periodic absorption by the muscles, particularly those of the upper arms, of the momentum of the weight as it reaches each end.

of its path is similar to the kneading imparted by a masseur and with like beneficial effects.

Simultaneously with the muscular reactions just outlined, the abdominal and hip muscles are also exercised since the rotation of the body caused by the momentum of the Weight is consciously counteracted by the user.

Another mode of use designed to strengthen the abdominal muscles, for example, is to hold the device at arms length and to rotate the body from side to side, keeping the feet planted on the floor. Thus the Weight 3 may be shifted from the lefthand end of the member I to the right-hand end, and alternately and repeatedly, the change in momentum each time together with the effort of moving the weight from side to side yielding the desired calisthenic effect. The foregoing examples are intended to illustrate only some of the uses, since it Will be apparent that the device is capable of many other uses, e. g., with the user prone or sitting. By locking the weight 3 by the screw 5, the device becomes a simple bar bell.

, To render the device adjustable so that persons of various degrees of physical strength, e. g., adult and child, may benefit from one piece of apparatus, the member I may be alternatively constructed as shown in Fig. 3. In such case the support comprises stub portions 2| and 22, the former being hollow and having inserted therein the knurled stud 23 threadedly engageable with the aperture 24 in the center support portion 25 of the same external diameter as the portion 2|. At its right-hand end the portion 25 is reduced in diameter and threaded at 26 to connect with a correspondingly threaded aperture 21 in the portion 22. Weight 3 is as described, but it is within the scope of my invention to substitute lighter or heavier weights where the physical capabilities of the user dictate such substitution.

For use by an adult, the center portion 25 would be inserted between the portion 2| and 22, thus to present a device of longer length in .consonance with the normal arm position of the user. For a child the center portion 25 would be removed and the stud 23 engaged with the aperture 21 to yield a lesser overall length of device.

While I have shown particular embodiments of my invention, it will be understood, of course, that I do not wish to be limited thereto since many modifications may be made, and I there- 4 fore contemplate by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An exercising device comprising an elongated supporting member having two manual gripping portions at opposite ends thereof, a jolt providing element weighing a number of pounds mounted on said member for sliding movement longitudinally thereof, and abutment means on said supporting member on opposite sides of the jolt-providing element engageable thereby and spaced apart far enough to enable at least a shoulderbreadth movement of said element, said abutment means being provided with shielding means to prevent said jolt-providing element from striking the hands of the user.

2. An exercising device comprising an elongated supporting member having two manual gripping portions at opposite ends thereof, a jolt-providing element weighing a number of pounds mounted on said member for sliding movement longitudinally thereof, and abutment means on said supporting member on opposite sides of the joltproviding element engageable thereby and spaced apart far enough to enable at least a shoulderbreadth movement of said element, said abutment means being provided with shielding means to prevent said jolt-providing element from striking the hands of the user, each gripping portion comprising an elongated handle, a handbreadth in length, in alignment with said elongated suppcrting member.

WILFRED V. DANI'OLAN.

REFERENCES CITED I The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,536,048 Alastalo May 5, 1925 1,658,108 Vaughn Feb. 7, 1928 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 12,250 Great Britain 1894 70,350 Australia Oct. 25, 1915 

